In the sector relating to apparatus for the production of beverages, for example coffee, tea, chocolate, in place of the conventional soluble products in powder or granular form, the use of fluid concentrated products is becoming increasingly widespread.
One reason for the spread of these concentrated products consists, in particular, in the improved quality in terms of taste and aroma of the beverage produced, but also in the possibility of being able to use sealed and sterile containers made, in particular, but not exclusively, in the form of a flexible bag.
According to the known art, the containers of the type indicated above are provided with a pipe for discharging the concentrated product, which has a predetermined length and one end of which has a union provided with a one-way valve which allows the product to flow out and prevents the backflow of contaminated liquid towards the inside of the container.
Also according to the known art, the union of the discharge pipe of the container is connected to a seat which is designed to receive it sealingly and is connected to the beverage reconstitution chamber inside which, besides the concentrated product, at least the reconstitution liquid, generally hot or cold water, flows.
The concentrated product is then pumped into this beverage reconstitution chamber by means of a pump, in particular a peristaltic pump operating along the flexible pipe section situated between the sterile container and the union with the one-way valve.
Since, once the concentrated product present in the sterile container has been used up, the container must be replaced with another full container, according to the known art, the union of the pipe must be able to be inserted inside the seat connected to the beverage reconstitution chamber and removed from it, while ensuring a safe sealed connection.
In fact, should the union not be correctly inserted inside the associated seat, leakage of the concentrated product outside of the beverage reconstitution chamber may occur during operation of the apparatus. This leaking product, since it is dispersed inside the apparatus, has an adverse effect on the hygienic conditions of the process and damages operation of the apparatus.